3. Texas During the Mexican Era Part A (August 25, 1821-December 31, 1829)

Selected Texas History Primary Source Documents

Suggestion: One might also find it useful to consult the list of documents and collections of documents at List 2, "Texas in the Nineteenth Century: General."

[Stephen F. Austin and Samuel May Williams]. Laws, Orders, and Contract on Colonization, 1821-1829, Under Which Colonel Stephen F. Austin Introduced and Settled Emigrants in Texas, 1829. Includes an "Introduction," by Austin (although written in the third person), having to do with land grants and titles, and an "Advertisement," which is, in part, an argument for the imposition of a tax to pay for the expenses of the government of his colony. There are several communications between Spanish and Mexican officials with both Moses and Stephen Austin. Link to document

Coahuila and Texas. Laws and Decrees of the State of Coahuila and Texas . . . , 1839. Link to document

Malcolm D. McLean, comp. and ed. Papers Concerning Robertson's Colony in Texas. Volume I: 1788-1822: The Texas Association. Papers of general interest include correspondence to and from Stephen F. Austin and papers relating to the formation of the Texas Association of Tennessee (of which Sam Houston was a charter member). Link to document. To browse the papers, choose this link to the Calendar. To search the volume, choose this link to the Index.

List of members of the Long expedition captured at La Bahia, October 9, 1821. [Transcript is not exactly the same as the image of the original manuscript. Deletes religion column and includes more names. Both versions are in Spanish.] Link to document

W. S. Lewis, "Adventures of the 'Lively' Immigrants." [December 1821-late 1822.] Memoir, written fifty-two years after the events described, by a passenger on the schooner Lively that took the first colonists by sea to Stephen F. Austin's colony in Texas. May have been based on notes taken at or near the time of events. The author spent several months in present-day Brazoria County before returning to the U.S. Details about the voyage and the difficulties of eking out a living in the area at that time. [Relevant material in Part I begins on p. 8.] For an explanation of the document, as presented, read the introductions to Parts I and II. For an evaluation of the document, go to this link. [Scroll down to footnote 2.] Link to Part I Link to Part II

James Dill to Governor Jose Martinez, January 31, 1822. Tells of illegal immigration in the Ayish Bayou region. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "January 31, 1822."] Link to access page

Cortes of Spain. Decree declaring the Treaty of Cordova illegal, February 13, 1822. This was the treaty that recognized the independence of Mexico from Spain. Link to document

Documents relating to the petition of Diego Barry, Tadeo Ortiz, and Philip O'Reilly to the Mexican government to bring Irish and Canary Islanders into Texas as colonists, 1822. [The documents begin with the title, "Plan of 1822" on p. 78. Scroll down to that title for the documents.] Link to documents

Jose Felix Trespalacios. Temporary agreement with the Cherokee Indians concerning their settlement in eastern Texas, November 8, 1822. Trespalacios, governor of the Mexican province of Texas makes this agreement with Cherokee Chief Richard Fields. It allows settlement of his tribe in eastern Texas for the present but requires confirmation by the central government of Mexico. [Scroll down to "Article lst." There are eight articles in the agreement.] Link to document

Emperor Augustin I of Mexico. Imperial Colonization Law Decree, January 4, 1823. Link to document

Mexican Congress. Declaration annulling the Plan of Iguala and the Treaty of Cordova, April 8, 1823. Link to document

Stephen F. Austin. Plan for the Organization of Congress for the Empire of Mexico, April 8, 1823. Author criticizes efforts to establish a monarchical form of government for Mexico, as expressed in Augustin Iturbide's (by then abandoned) Plan of Iguala. Link to document

Florentino Martinez and Jose Maria Sanchez to Jose Ignacio Garcia Illueca, April 11, 1823. This communication to the minister of interior and exterior relations states that the Mexican congress has endorsed Stephen F. Austin's petition that his contract with the late imperial government to bring 300 colonists to Texas be confirmed by the present government. Link to document

Jose Ignacio Garcia Illueca. Decree confirming to Stephen F. Austin the concession granted by the late imperial government regarding settlement of 300 families in Texas. [No date given but probably late spring to early summer of 1823. [If necessary, scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Luciano Garcia. Commission to Baron Felipe Enrique Neri de Bastrop to be commissioner of colonization for Stephen F. Austin's settlement colony, July 16, 1823. Garcia was the Mexican governor pro tem of Texas. Link to document

Luciano Garcia to Stephen F. Austin, July 26, 1823. The Mexican governor pro tem of Texas gives notification of the Baron de Bastrop's appointment as commissioner of colonization. Based on Bastrop's "well-known and superior qualifications." [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Luciano Garcia to Baron Felipe Enrique Neri de Bastrop, July 26, 1823. The Mexican governor pro tem of Texas sends documents relating to Bastrop's responsibilities as commissioner of colonization of Austin's colony. One includes notice that Garcia has named the colony's headquarters town San Felipe de Austin. Link to document

E[leazar] W[heelock] Ripley to unknown recipient, August [?], 1823. The author, a Louisiana lawyer and politician, writes from New Orleans, stating that a group of U.S. citizens were eager to immigrate to Texas. The recipient was probably someone in the Mexican government. The term "the Colorado of the Mississipi [sic]" is a reference to the Red (Colorado in Spanish) River, not the Colorado River of Texas of today.) [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "August 1823. E.W. Ripley."] Link to access page

Stephen F. Austin. Address to colonists on the Colorado River, August 6, 1823. Speaks of the recent political turmoil in Mexico, assures settlers of the validity of their land titles, calls on them to respect the Catholic Church. Link to document

Vicente Guerrero, president of Mexico. Decree, September 30, 1823. In consideration of the deplorable conditions in Texas caused by Indian depredations, the Mexican government exempts Texas from the payment of import duties for seven years. [The point seems to be that settlers are to use the financial windfall to provide for their own defense against Indian raids.] [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Francisco Molinos del Campo. Broadside, October 7, 1823. [Text is in Spanish. English translation provided] Full text of the proclamation of the presidential decree of September 30, 1823, exempting Texas residents from import duties for seven years. [Note: The title at the source, "Texas Tides," is misleading.] Link to document

John Quincy Adams. Account of a meeting of the cabinet of U.S. President James Monroe, November 7, 1823. The secretary of state writes of the discussion on the British proposal that the two countries issue a joint declaration opposing any interference of the European Holy Alliance in the Americas. Secretary of War endorses the proposal, even if the U.S. has to pledge never to acquire Cuba or Texas. Adams disagrees, stating that the people of either or both of the two entities might someday seek union with the U.S. [Note: Surely in the phrase "exercise their primitive fights," the last word should be rights.] Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Arthur Wavell, undated (but evidently sometime in 1824). Is in reply to letter from Wavell asking for advice about becoming an empresario in Texas. Austin is very negative about his own experiences. Link to document

Stephen F. Austin. Civil regulations for the governance of his first settlement colony, January 22, 1824. Link to document

Stephen F. Austin. Criminal regulations for the governance of his first settlement colony, January 22, 1824. Link to document

Jose Antonio Saucedo. Additional articles to the civil regulations for the governance of Stephen F. Austin's first settlement colony, May 23, 1824. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Jose Antonio Saucedo to Stephen F. Austin, June 23, 1824. Political Chief of Texas states that Baron de Bastrop is proceeding to Austin's colony to issue titles to settlers, subject to the payment of a fee. Link to document

Constituent Congress of Mexico. Decree prohibiting the commerce and traffic in slaves, July 13,1824. Link to document

Republic of Mexico. Passport issued to Ben Milam, [July 30, 1824?]. Manuscript image is in Spanish. Is difficult to read. No transcript. Link to document

Constituent Congress of Mexico. National Colonization Law, August 18, 1824. Link to document

Constitution of the Republic of Mexico, October 4, 1824. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Green DeWitt to State of Coahuila and Texas. Petition seeking empresario grant, April 7, 1825. Wants to settle 400 families to the west of Stephen F. Austin's colony. Link to Document

State of Coahuila and Texas. Empresario contract with Hayden Edwards, April 15, 1825. Edwards was authorized to settle 800 families in the Nacogdoches area. Link to document

Juan Seguin to Stephen F. Austin, July 24, 1825. Agrees that the development of Texas requires slavery but points out that the Mexican Congress opposes it. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to Document

Peter Ellis Bean to unidentified recipient, December 22, 1825. Context indicates that the recipient lived in the area of Nacogdoches. Bean argues that if the settlers there remain quiet they will receive titles to their lands from the Mexican government. Link to document

Hayden Edwards to Stephen F. Austin, January 9, 1826. States that when he returned to Nacogdoches from San Felipe he found that some colonists were disaffected. He has defied them. "They are all now friendly." Link to document

Hayden Edwards to Stephen F. Austin, February 28, 1826. Claims not to believe that Austin has taken part in a meeting that is anti-Edwards. Defends charging colonists more for their land than the amount specified by Mexican law. Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Hayden Edwards, March [?], 1826. Rebukes Edwards for his actions as empresario in dealing with land claimants. Link to document

State of Coahuila and Texas. Expresario contract with Arthur G. Wavell, March, 9, 1826. Authorization to settle 450 families in the northeastern corner of Texas. Wavell was an English soldier of fortune and friend of Stephen F. Austin's. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "March 9, 1826."] Link to access page

Stephen F. Austin to unnamed Edwards colonist, March 10, 1826. In his colony, Austin will charge "the price the government may direct me to exact of the settlers." Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Benjamin W. Edwards, July [?], 1826. [Excerpt.] Gives advice about what should be done to restore Mexico's confidence in the actions of the Edwards brothers. Link to document

Martin Allen. Deposition about Peter Ellis Bean, August 3, 1826. States that Bean resides in the Nacogdoches area. Is an honest man but one very fond of boasting. Link to document

[Brown Austin] to Stephen F. Austin, August 22, 1826. (Excerpt. Recipient not named but determined from the context.) Conversations with Governor Saucedo in San Antonio convince Stephen's brother that Mexico will not force the emancipation of slaves belonging to Austin's 300 families. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Jose Antonio Saucedo, December 4, 1826. [Somewhat abridged.] Austin writes to the political chief at San Antonio, giving news of recent events in the Fredonian Rebellion, including the insurgents' arrest of the alcalde at Nacogdoches. [Scroll down to the paragraph beginning, "Dear and Respected Friend . . . ."] Link to document

Benjamin W. Edwards to Aylett C. Buckner, December [?], 1826. Defends his and his brother's actions in the "Fredonian Rebellion." Asks for aid in the cause. Link to document

[Benjamin W. Edwards and others.] The Fredonian Declaration of Independence, December 21, 1826. Written at Nacogdoches and ratified by "The Committee of Independence and the Committee of Red People," with various names of individuals listed as ratifiers, including Haden Edwards. Link to document

Benjamin W. Edwards to Edward Thompson, December 26, 1826. Defends his and his brother's actions in the "Fredonian Rebellion." Asks for aid in the cause. Link to document

Jose A. Huber to the editor of the Natchitoches Courier, December 31, 1826. Huber, a surgeon in the Mexican Army, writes about the "Fredonian Rebellion." Link to document

Peter Ellis Bean to Stephen F. Austin, December 31, 1826. Refers to the disturbances associated with the Edwards brothers. Thinks it best for him (Bean) to lie low and take no part on either side. Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to B. J. Thompson, January 1, 1827. Rebukes Thompson for actions he and others are taking in the Fredonian Rebellion. Link to Document

Stephen F. Austin to colonists on the lower Brazos, January 1, 1827. Speaks out against the Fredonian Rebellion. Link to document

Jose Antonio Salcedo, Political Chief of the Department of Texas, to Richard Fields, Chief of the Cherokee Nation, January 4, 1827. Urges Fields to back away from supporting the Fredonian Rebellion. Link to Document

Stephen F. Austin to J. D. Hunter, January 4, 1827. Urges this Cherokee leader to lead his people to disassociate themselves from the Fredonian Rebellion. Link to Document

Jose Antonio Salcedo. Proclamation to the Inhabitants of the Trinity, Neches, and District of Nacogdoches, January 22, 1827. Political Chief of the Department of Texas explains why he has annulled the Edwards empresario contract. Link to Document

Stephen F. Austin. Address to "The Inhabitants of the Colony," January 22, 1827. Is very critical of the Fredonian Rebellion at Nacogdoches. Calls for volunteers to join him in taking up arms against the rebels. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

James Norton. Minutes of a meeting of De Witt Colony residents, January 24, 1827. Resolutions condemning the Fredonian Rebellion. Included in correspondence from James Kerr to Stephen F. Austin of the same date. Link to document

Edmund Bean to Peter Ellis Bean, January 28, 1827. (Athough the site spells EB's last name as "Been," context shows that he was a family member.) Expects to move from Tennessee to Texas. Wants to know if there will be war between the settlers and Mexico. U.S. newspapers are full of speculation about that. Link to document

Jose Antonio Saucedo to Gaspar Flores, March 27, 1827. The political chief of Texas appoints Flores to replace Baron de Bastrop as commissioner of Austin's first colony. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Ignacio de Arispe to Stephen F. Austin, May 31, 1827. Governor of Coahuila and Texas encloses instructions to Gaspar Flores with respect to his duties as commissioner of Austin's first settlement colony. Link to document

Peter Ellis Bean to Stephen F. Austin, June 3, 1827. Writes from Nacogdoches that he has made peace with chiefs of the Waco and Tawakoni tribes. Will go with them to the Comanches. Then, with a representative of that tribe, will go on to San Antonio to settle with Mexican officials there. Link to document

Republic of Mexico. Congress. Order to the political chief of the Department of Texas to sell buildings and walls at Mission San Antonio de Valero, July 16, 1827. (This is the Alamo.) Houses of the convent to be exempted to provide quarters for troops. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "July 16, 1827."] Link to access page

Victor Blanco to the chief of the Department of Bejar, September 7, 1827. Governor of Coahuila and Texas authorizes payment to Lieutenant Colonel Jose Francisco Ruiz of money owed him for auctioning of the ruins of Mission San Antonio de Valero. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on the first entry for "September 7, 1827."] Link to document

Victor Blanco to the chief of the Department of Bejar, September 7, 1827. Governor of Coahuila and Texas reports that the sale of the building materials of Mission San Antonio de Valero has been canceled. [In Spanish.] [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on the second entry for "September 7, 1827."] Link to access page

State of Coahuila and Texas, Executive Department. Instructions to commissioners for carrying out the state's colonization law, September 24, 1827. Link to Document

[Jose Maria Sanchez.] Journal of the Mier & Teran expedition into Texas, 1827-1828. Purposes: Determine boundary of Mexico with the United States, survey natural resources in Texas, observe the Indians there, and determine the number and attitudes of the Anglo-American colonists. Link to document

Arthur Goodall Wavell and Benjamin Rush Milam. A Statement of the Advantages to be Derived from the Employment of £50,000 Upon the Security of Lands in the Mexican Province of Texas (London, 1828?). The publication of this prospectus was part of an attempt to sell shares in a projected colonization venture in northeastern Texas. Although the scheme was ultimately unsuccessful, this document provides useful information about colonization efforts in Mexican Texas. Included is the text of the Mexican land grant, a description of the land included in the grant, and other information. Link to document

San Felipe de Austin. Ayuntamiento. Minutes of meetings, 1828-1832. Deals with various matters of local government of the headquarters town of Stephen F. Austin. [For a useful introduction to the document, read Footnote 201.] Part I (February 10, 1828-January 10, 1829). Part II (January 24-December 31, 1829)

Peter Ellis Bean to Stephen F. Austin, March 5, 1828. Writes from Nacogdoches that he had just received a letter from a somewhat nearby friend who reports that a band of about fifteen men had just passed his residence. They called themselves the advance guard of a larger army (200-300 men) of "Republicans," but he characterized them as robbers. They were on their way to reinforce the Fredonian rebels. Link to document

Mexico. Congress. Naturalization Law, [April 14, 1828]. [Date given in the document is that on which the act was ordered printed. Date adopted not given.] Link to document

Baptismal certificate of James Ross, June 26, 1828. Ross, a native of South Carolina, was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church at San Antonio. [Spanish transcription, with English translation.] [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "June 26, 1828."] Link to access page

Thomas J. Pilgrim. Diary. May be an excerpt. Entries are for 1828 and 1829. Pilgrim relates journey from western New York state to Matagorda Bay on the Texas coast, then inland to San Felipe. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Manuel Mier y Teran to Guadalupe Victoria, president of Mexico. Report on the Anglo colonies in Texas, 1828. Excerpt. General Tern was conducting an investigation of the Texan settlement colonies at the time. [The excerpt appears in the paragraph which begins with the heading, "Bustamante's Decree, 6 April 1830."] Link to document)

Stephen F. Austin. Description of Texas, August 1828. Written as an accompaniment to Austin's map of Texas. Covers such subjects as topography, climate, transportation situation, economic opportunities, and recent history. [Document begins just after the main title.] Link to document

Robert Owen to the Republic of Mexico. Memorial of Robert Owen to the Republic of Mexico, September, 1828. In this document, the British social reformer asks the government of Mexico to grant him the State of Coahuila and Texas so that he can use it to put into practice his utopian socialist ideas. Gives a detailed explanation as to what his ideas are, why Mexico should agree to this proposal, etc. [It may be necessary to scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Vicente Rocafuerte to __________, secretary of state, Republic of Mexico, October 15, 1828. [Translation.] Mexico's diplomatic representative in London sends this cover letter for a memorial by Robert Owen to the Mexican government, in which the social reformer asks for a grant of the territory of the State of Coahuila and Texas for the purpose of putting into operation there his utopian socialistic ideas. Rocafuente comments that Owen's plan is too broad and impracticable, although "his ideas are just." [Scroll down for the document.] Link to document

Manuel Mier y Teran. Report on Mexicans and Anglo-Americans in Texas. [1828 or '29.] In this excerpted document the author speaks unfavorably about the Mexican population in Texas, Anglo-Mexican relations, and the desire of many of both groups for separate statehood for Texas. [Excerpt begins with " . . .As one covers the distance . . . ." The reference to "this town" probably refers to Nacogdoches. Link to document

Manuel Mier y Teran to the [unnamed] minister of war of the Mexican government. Report on the Anglo colonies in Texas, 1829. General Teran was conducting an investigation of the Texan settlement colonies. Excerpt. (The excerpt appears in the paragraph which begins with the heading, "Bustamante's Decree, 6 April 1830.") Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Josiah H. Bell, February 1829. (Excerpt.) Notes with satisfaction Thomas J. Pilgrim's desire to found a school in the colony. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document.

Coahuila and Texas. Executive Department. Colonization contract of Lorenzo de Zavala, March 12, 1829. Issued by Governor Jose Maria Viesca. Spells out the details of Zavalla's colony in southeastern Texas. Link to document

David G. Burnet to Stephen F. Austin, [May 4, 1829]. [May be somewhat abridged.] Burnet, at that time a would-be colonizer of a land grant in Texas, writes from his native Ohio. There he had met Robert Owen, the British social reformer. Burnet encloses in this letter a memorial from Owen to the government of Mexico, dated September, 1828. [See a link to the memorial above.] The memorial asks Mexico to grant to him the State of Coahuila and Texas so that he can put into practice there his utopian socialist ideas. Burnet comments that the memorial is "a very queer document" and its author "a misguided and infatuated visionary." Link to document

Thomas F. McKinney to Stephen F. Austin, September 9, 1829. Rumor is incorrect that colonists are not loyal to the government in the present crisis (attempted re-conquest of Mexico by Spain). Is true that they have been "deceived as respects their land titles by pompous stories which [Peter Ellis[ Bean has told them . . . ." Area Indians also upset with him. Link to document

Vicente Guerrero, president of Mexico. Decree abolishing slavery in Mexico, September 15, 1829. Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Jose Antonio Navarro, October 19, 1829. Writes of brother Brown Austin's death, his own serious illness. Says there is great need for English translations of Mexican laws, etc. Says their lack was part of the problem that led to the Fredonian debacle. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Jose Maria Viesca, October 25, 1829. [Probably excerpted from the original.] Has received presidential decree of September 15, abolishing slavery in Mexico. Is withholding publishing it in his colony. Gives reasons. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Jose Antonio Navarro to Stephen F. Austin, October 29, 1829. [Probably excerpted from the original.] Calls the legislation abolishing slavery "a stupid law." Says that the "best men" of the state of Coahuila and Texas are opposed to it. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Agustin Viesca to unnamed recipient, [December ?] 1829. Letter from the Mexican minister of relations, stating that the Mexican president has exempted Texas from the provisions of the edict abolishing slavery. The recipient is probably the writer's brother, Jose Maria Viesca, governor of Coahuila and Texas. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document

Stephen F. Austin to Jose Antonio Navarro, December 24, 1829. Austin is pessimistic about the safety of Texas in light of "the last decrees sent out by the legislature extraordinary and unknown to the Constitution [of Texas]." [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document